Hi, I am a newcomer to fly fishing and I have done some wet fly fishing with some success. I am starting to get into 'dry flying' and need all the advice I can get.

Straight question for you, should I always sink my leader when casting a dry fly.

I've heard that some say no - it will pull your fly under and others sources saying always use sinkant on your leader so it's not shining on the water surface. Is there a definitive answer on this or is it a personal preference.

Many thanks

If using a small midge I only apply sinkant to the tippet. if fishing a larger fly with a bit more dressing, and on relatively still water the whole leader can go under without any problem. If I am on a river and it’s a bit choppy then I need a few casts to determine the set up..........

Iain

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you only need to get those last few inches under the water , line on the surface does stand out like a sore thumb, but if your casting to rises then alot of the time you can get away without sinking the line

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If you are in a flat calm then you may need to sink the lot. It will pull your fly under eventually but better that than no rises.............birdsnest

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I always try to sink the last couple of feet.

You may find it difficult to do in a flat calm as your leader will not readily break through the surface tension, even with a regular application of leadersink/fullers earth. Some anglers will tie on a small wet fly, usually a buzzer, on their leaders to help sink it.

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This is exactly what I do in a flat calm situation. I put a size 14 diawl bach 4-5 feet from the point. Not only does it help sink the leader but the dry fly will also hold the nymph suspended a few feet below the surface (washing line style) and you get plenty of fish take the nymph.

Mat

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Me too....but not with another fly...i use one dry fly and tipet ring

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Not too worried in fast water but in slow I'm in the sink the last foot or two camp, on occasions leave 3 or 4 inches away from fly un touched but on others add sinkant right up to about an inch from the eye. Sometimes I like this bit to be under but on occasions on certain flies, I like to see the last couple of inches in the air slightly from fly end then looping over and going straight under water (old fashioned I think?).

Acknowledge that others don't like this last approach, as sun can shine off air born part when it catches the light but evening times on well foliaged river I find that spot on. Has to be said when it's warm and slow / calm getting the tippet to break through the surface can be a pain and seeing the 'jet trail' in the water surface is just plain annoying ... if I was a fish I'd laugh at my crude attempts .

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I've never used any kind of sinkant on my leader for dry fly. Thinking about it I've never seen a guide in Montana use a sinkant, and the flies they have you use a beyond small The was a fashion a number of years back of using fullers earth and washing up liquid, thing is it doesn't matter what sinkant you use it'll wash off and leave an oily stain on the surface.

I spend more time degreasing the leader than applying floatant to the fly.If the fly sinks.. tough..dry it out,reapply floatant,clean the leader with sinkant carefully and recast......but if the leader attached to the fly does not sink when over your target fish in clear water with leader over 2-3lbs you won't get a take
as to the sinkant and floatant thing.....less rather than more put it on then take it off is all you need

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